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Friends Remember
Jason Korsower z"l
Jason Korsower z"l
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Friends Remember Jason Korsower z"l |
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Letter from Jerami (Read by Danny Sher at Jason's Shloshim) for the last 30 days so many images and thoughts of Jason have gone through my mind.. Tahg Adler's Address at Jason's Shloshim Jason was a soul searcher and a knowledge seeker. Doron Spielman's Address at Jason's Shloshim There is a code which few of us know. A code which few in the world understand, and even if understanding exists even fewer could follow. It is the code of the silent warrior. The silent warrior that fights all battles he believes in, and at the same time is engaged in the battle inside each of us, and the one we we rarely face – the battle to repress one’s own ego. Jason Korsower embodied this ethic. The quiet Jason Korsower in the time that I knew him, never uttered a negative word denouncing another person. He had no time for this – for Jason was inside in his own world – an enlightened world filled with constant reading, observing, and learning. At rare times an opening would come and something would slip out, like a diamond suddenly rolling across the floor. Everyone would stop and look at Jay, and there he would be blushing in that so rare trait of true modesty. In fact he was so modest that if one didn’t take the time to know Jason, one would have no idea that behind his quiet exterior this entire world was brewing. Jason’s quest for learning however did not turn him into a walking dictionary spouting knowledge, rather he was a walking reflection – a reflection of what he was reading or learning about that day. If in India Jason was the first to don the traditional garb of the area, if in the army he was the very spirit of the soldier, speaking Hebrew with an uncanny fluency, and when he was here at Pardes, Jason lived the life a traditional Jew, one fully absorbed in Jewish text, tradition and thought. This may sound like Jay was a chameleon, but in fact he was the opposite – he was a pillar – a true pillar. If he was alone with ideas he believed in, he stand alone and follow them completely undeterred by peer pressure or of not fitting in. If he was amongst others with similar ideas, Jason would quietly join them, never trying to gain attention or stand above the rest – just one more humble pillar in a vast building. For me Jason will always be the quintessential soldier. Fighting for what he believed in. Willing to give his life for a higher cause, and so comfortable with this, that in the face of danger – he would just smile. In recent years Jason became a soldier of words, defending the Jewish People and all free people against a tyranny whose goal is to subjugate the very beauty of a ideas which Jason so embodied. Jason died as a soldier while fighting this war. And since his death I am sure along Jason’s family, girlfriend Jerami, and close friends we are all here asking why? For some sense of understanding, in what I am sure we cannot fully understand I would like to quote Rabbi Kook z’’l Only now when I think about Jason following his passing, do I realize what an enigma he truly was, what a unique and powerful force he was in this world, and I am sure he is in the next. I keep asking myself how I didn’t fully understand this when he was around – Ran Kaminsky's Address at Jason's Shloshim Part 1) I’m sorry about the English speaking audience, but I’m going to speak in Hebrew. To speak suddenly in Hebrew seems a little weird, but it reminds me of how we were really strict in the army for Jason and other volunteers from abroad to only speak Hebrew. Now, I’m in the opposite situation. Every body here speaks English and I realize how hard it must have been for him. Part 2) I was the captain of the platoon for Jason for a year in the Nachal Infantry unit. We went through a track of basic training, advance training for fighters, service on the Lebanon boarder and more then more training in the Golan Heights where Jason eventually finished his army service. I can explain how I remember Jason was as a combat soldier. It is more than clear that Jason was one of the most courageous soldiers in our unit. Every soldier always knew that Jason was the most courageous soldier and all of the soldiers wanted to go on missions with Jason. In training he was the soldier that helped the other soldiers and it was always comfortable serving with him. He was very trustworthy He was extremely professional. Part 3) Professionalism (in the army), maybe a little like football, but different. You have to be perfect, the best you can be. In the army, in my opinion, it is much harder. In the army, for someone who comes from America or for anyone that is not from Israel, it is much harder. It is true that most of our weapons are from America, but everything is in Hebrew with the Israeli mentality. It may have been hard, but it didn’t stop Jason. Jason’s always had professionalism and yearning to be the best he could be. In regards to maturity, he was not an 18 year old kid (like the other soldiers). He was more mature and understood the importance to hold a weapon in his hands and to help out the other soldiers. Jason, along with the other combat soldiers had to be courageous, professional and hold a big “bag” of moral standards. Part 4) And Jason had a very special “bag”. He always knew why he was here. He always knew why we were doing the hardest missions, the strangest missions. In the army there are always missions that no one can understand where they come from and why we had to do them. Because of his belief, Jason knew how to do missions and pass on his belief in our missions to the other soldiers. To be true and honest - even in the hardest situations. Especially on the boarder at night, its cold, the weapon is heavy and it is not fun. One lie could help out, even the smallest, but not for Jason. I don’t ever remember Jason lying, not because I have a bad memory, but because it never happened. Jason never lied once. He always told the truth, he always took responsibility for his actions. He was truthful in all his actions. To make Aliyah to Israel and join the IDF is respectful. Part 5) I was the commander of 160 combat soldiers, 30 of which came from all over the world to join the Israeli army. I highly respected each of the volunteers personally on how they dealt with everything. I always tried putting my self in their place. I always tried to see how I could be successful with their entire situation; to arrive in a new place, speak a new language, and deal with a new mentality in a new atmosphere. They had so many hardships in the army, both physically and mentally. I was always really proud how these soldiers dealt with the situation, but I was especially proud of how Jason dealt with the situation. Part 6) I was reminded earlier and I also spoke a little bit about this, that Jason was a very good friend. I think every body in our platoon, which had a lot of soldiers, knew very well who Jason was. How fun and important it was to be with him. Fun because he was always happy and he dealt with the hard situations and tough commanders. He kept it all inside and helped the other soldiers deal with the situation. He knew how to help others feel better and helped others perform better. It was comfortable to serve with him because of his pleasant persona. His strength, both mentally and physically spread good atmosphere to all of the soldiers that were around him. I am proud that I was the officer of a fighter like Jason and I even more proud that I knew a man like Jason. May his memory be blessed. Michael Katz - thoughts of Jason Given the time span of the existence of this world, 5,765 years, the average lifespan of a human being lasts approximately 1.3% of existence. The only conclusion that we can make is that our lives on this earth “Olam HaZeh” are temporary. Having not even reached half a percent of his allotted 1.3%, Jason’s life was cut short and he was taken from everyone who knew and loved him. A big void has been created on this earth. One of our brothers has been taken and we are helpless to do anything to change the situation. One hundred years ago, none of us were here in our current form. One hundred years from now, none of us will be left standing in this world. The only questions that remain are why we are here now and for what purpose is our existence? The current here and now dictates that our immediate purpose in this world is to mourn the loss of Jason. Beyond that it takes a certain amount of clarity to see the bigger picture, especially when someone so young, so talented, so caring and such a big influence on others, is taken without reason. One of the reasons of a siyum at the shloshim of a person’s parting from this world, is that by the time the shloshim comes around, the initial shock, disbelief and pain is a little easier to deal with. In this situation, however, I don’t think that these three things will ever become “easier”. The only thing that we can do now is to look at the way Jason lived his life and try to learn something from his example. He lived for the here and now. He set his sights on what he wanted to accomplish and he went full steam ahead to achieve his goals. For one life to touch so many, in such a short space of time, we must now understand that the void created in this world, by the absence of Jason, can only be counteracted in the World to Come “Olam HaBah”. In the same way that a manager of a football team chooses only the best players to play in his ‘A’ team, so too does HaKodesh Baruch Hoo. I have absolutely no doubt that wherever Jason is; he is now in the ‘A’ team in Hashem’s army of the good and righteous. Probably asking for more physical exercise, push up and sit ups. In the world that we are living in, having this amount of positive energy on the side of light and goodness, can only stand to make this current world a better place. One hundred years from now, each person here will have no pressing business meetings, no urgent telephone or pelephone conversations, no physical debts and no physical vanity. Take away all of these things and the only thing that we have left is the appreciation for what we have. Our families, our friends, our children and the air that we breathe. These are the important things in life and this is one of the many lessons that we should learn from Jason being taken from us so abruptly. |
  
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